They always say, “Age is just a number,” but that is not true. “Age” is a word.

I am aware of the number attached to my age. As I approach 79 and have to think about retirement, I have started to look at all the options.

Most of the priests I know who retired have gotten healthier. Age 70 usually comes at around 40 years of priesthood. They have benefited from a lack of stress and having time to take care of themselves. I celebrated 47 years as a priest last May.  

The Real Presence Real Future plan for Columbus St. Mary Magdalene parish includes a religious order replacing me. Sometime in the future, I will get a call from Bishop Earl Fernandes thanking me and wishing me well in my retirement. 

Like many of my brother priests, I will be on the confession circuit, helping with Masses, funerals, etc. I will continue with prison ministry at Franklin Medical Center. Columbus St. Aloysius Church has several outreach ministries to the poor and homeless that I will get more involved with.  

When I first retired at 72 from St. Joseph Church in Plain City, I started working with Food for the Poor. I missed parish ministry and asked Bishop Frederick Campbell for a job. When I told him I wanted to be a pastor again, he gave me St. Aloysius, St. Mary Magdalene and Columbus St. Agnes parishes. Parish ministry is still where my heart is, and I will find ways to stay active.

Bishop Campbell assigned Father Brett Garland as parochial vicar. We shared residence at St. Mary Magdalene. It was different sharing a house with another priest. Most of my priesthood was living alone. 

I managed the offices at all three parishes, visiting each daily and collecting mail and phone messages. Father Garland worked out of St. Agnes with the Hispanic population. I adjusted the Mass schedule so we could rotate among all three parishes. I picked up enough Spanish to celebrate the Spanish Masses. 

After Father Garland was reassigned to Delaware St. Mary Church, St. Agnes was assigned to the Missionary Servants of the Word at St. Stephen parish. I had to adjust Mass schedules again so I could cover all the Masses myself. 

Typically, I celebrate all four weekend liturgies, the Saturday morning Mass and devotions, and the Saturday evening prison Mass. I had started two devotional programs at St. Aloysius, a Holy Hour for the Dying and Friday Stations and Benediction each week. 

St. Mary Magdalene had the practice of the Miraculous Medal Novena before the Monday 8:15 a.m. and 7 p.m. Masses. Monday morning was changed to Monday Mornings with Mary and Her Son, a holy hour including rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet and Benediction. With both parishes aging, there have been a lot of funerals, hospital visits and anointings.

Trying to address concerns in three parishes has been difficult. I have always found that taking care of those things that are special to the congregation results in people answering the call to serve. I have been blessed with the opportunity to care for two beautiful church buildings and congregations with a lot of love for their parishes. 

The highlights of my second time around would include:

• The two years I worked with Food for the Poor.

• The two years with Father Garland, newly ordained, a breath of fresh air and renewal.

• The Prison Ministry at Franklin Medical Center, a favorite work of mercy.

• The Community Outreach Ministry at St. Aloysius.

• The five years back on the west side of Columbus.

I graduated from the grade school at St. Aloysius, was ordained at St. Agnes and for more than 20 years celebrated Masses and confessions on a weekly basis at Columbus Bishop Ready High School. 

The west side is home, and I will stay close and still be involved in all the parishes here. I will even reprise an old favorite of mine, “Have Fork/Will Travel.” There might even be some traveling in the plans.

Father Patrick Toner is the pastor at Columbus St. Aloysius, St. Agnes and St. Mary Magdalene churches. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Columbus in 1975.